K_Mac

I used Trilene XL for years. It is a high quality mono, and while it casts beautifully on spinning or casting, it doesn't have the abrasion resistance I wanted. I have tried a couple of different lines and settled on P-Line CXX. I use 6# on spinning, and 12# and 15# on baitcasting. As J Franco mentioned it performs much better with KVD Line & Lure.

Red, for your needs it sounds like SI/DI is a no-brainier. Since you are covering a limited area, marking spots and finding your way home at night in the fog are not as likely to be issues. I can read a map just fine too, but add fog and darkness to the mix and things can get interesting, esp on a large lake. I really like having GPS. I hope to save up my nickles and dimes to add SI/DI to my HDS before next year. The hand held GPS option is a good one. A friend and I were able to find our way back to the ramp a couple of years ago on a very foggy night using his inexpensive hand held unit.

A freind of mine picked up a couple of the Curado 51Es on clearance a few weeks ago. They are outstanding. I am not a Shimano posse member, but you are going to like that reel.

The Cards ousting the Phillies from the play-offs was not something even the most loyal Red Bird fans expected. Who would have thought the best pitching in the series would be Cardinals? These guys may just win it all this year?! I just hope they can beat the Brewers...Come on rally squirrel!

From the review on TT this rod looks like it would make a good multi-purpose stick for heavy cover applications. It is reasonably priced. Any input? Thanks guys.

It depends on the rod and application IMO. I have a few Bass Pro Extreme rods (spinning and BC) that are more comfortable with a little added weight. They are used primarily for jigs/worms. I do not add weight to rods that are used for "moving" baits. Higher end rods are lighter and tend to balance a bit better in my experience.

I live pretty close to a power plant cooling lake that never freezes. It will freeze in the protected area at the ramp, making it unusable if the weather stays below zero or near for an extended period. I don't much like fishing anymore when the rod guides and level wind keeps freezing up. I do fish through the winter, though not as often as I used to. I am a lot softer than I used to be.

I completely agree. So what's the deal with Long Mike anyway?

Does that mean graffiti that is not gang related is acceptable? Can I just follow my artistic impulse wherever it takes me? Your answer avoids the question, and is too simple in my humble opinion. Premature closure, you might say.

I voted that it is both. It certainly can be artistic. I agree with Tom , as usual. Whether or not it is art in my opinion or anyone else's does not make any difference. Whether it is Mapplethorpe or Rockwell, if it is done without permission on private property it is a criminal activity. There is no justification for vandalism. I think the argument that tagging is an attempt to beautify the bleak urban landscape has merit on the surface. Tagging may offer aesthetic improvement when done by a talented "artist." In my opinion that is rarely the case. The bottom line is while it may be pleasing to me, it may be offensive to Tom, and it almost certainly will be offensive to the owner of the property defaced. Spun any way you want, it is crime that ends up costing me, and every other consumer and tax payer money.

I am not a crankbait guy, but the 100 Bandits have caught some decent fish for me over the last few years. White or white/chart. seems to work best for me.

12# CXX on my lighter combos, 15# CXX on everything else.

Happy birthday sheriff.

Well said. Test driving a Formula 1 race car doesn't make you Sebastian Vettel either...

Sweet! Good to hear from you Top.

As another "seasoned " boater I understand the importance of having a plan. I have fallen off my boat twice now. The last time I was alone without a life jacket on. I quickly made the decision to lose the combo I had in my hand. The wind was blowing just enough that by the time I reached the boat, I had only enough energy to hang on until the wind blew me and the boat to shore. It was a very frightening experience. I had resolved to wear an inflatable flotation devise at all times, but had just left the dock and had not put it on yet. I was lucky and hope to never find myself in that spot again. Just a little off topic, a dear friend was drowned in Baldwin Lake here in So. Illinois earlier this year. Baldwin is a perched lake and is very much effected by wind. Greg was fishing alone without a life jacket, on a windy day. I was in the hospital at the time or I may have been with him. He was 43, a great swimmer, and as strong as a bull. He left a wife and three half grown kids. Being prepared is not something to take lightly.

I was fishing earlier this summer with a friend who has a membership that allows him to fish several strip pit lakes on mining property. There is an active mine about a quarter mile from the lake we were fishing. There was a low rumble and the entire lake was roiled when they detonated underground charges at the mine. It was a weired experience. It almost sounded like rain falling on the water for a second or two. I don't think the fish payed any attention, though it spooked me a little.

I am a big fan of the PQ rods, and at clearance price they are a great deal. The 7' MXF is a very versatile rod, and is my favorite for unweighted plastics, and light trigs and jigs. I have fished 1/2 oz jigs in open water with it. The MHF fast would probably a better all round rod. At $79 buy both. With all that said the Cumaras are fine rods, in a completely different class than the PQ. The 6'9" MHXF would make a fine spinnerbait or jig rod. The MF would work well for your lighter baits, including square billed cranks IMO. If you can get a good deal on them do it. If I had deeper pockets I would own several.

Replacing both is a good idea, and having one replacement motor assembly that will work on either one is also a good thing. Good luck.

As always here much great advice. A first boat is much like a first car. If you are like me, some of the decisions you make will be inadvisable, if not down right dumb. Fishing rivers raises the stakes a bit when learning. Having enough boat and HP keep you out of trouble is important. A small aluminum boat and outboard will work well on many lakes, but may be dangerously inadequate on others, or on a river, or when the wind picks up. Owning a fishing boat is one life's simple pleasures, and some of my best memories are of my first boat, a 14' Polarcraft with an old 18 HP Johnson. I also recommend buying something well within your budget. Making payments on a first boat is not a good idea for most of us. I am not convinced ever making payments on a boat is a good idea, but that is another thread. Learning to care for and operate a boat is an adventure. Enjoy the process. Good luck.

Beautiful boat. Anytime I am over 70ish MPH in a bass boat any more my pucker factor is too high for comfort. Bullets look like they are going 70+ idling away from the ramp! Enjoy.

That his creations are more life-like than he is is hilarious. A very funny guy.

Wow. That is as real as it gets. A powerful commentary. Thanks for the link.

Grundle you seem to be saying that cheating seems to be easy to do so it follows that many are doing it. That is not sound logic in my view. There will always be a few that will push (or exceed) the limits in any endeavor, but it seems to be very rare in pro fishing. I think that speaks to the integrity of the men and women involved, and the structure of the sport. Once again your cynicism for a young man is surprising.

I am on record as saying I believe speaking out was the right thing to do. Bass made a decision based on the evidence at hand to issue the penalty they thought appropriate. Whether I, you, or Ray Scott agree with that decision doesn't change a thing. What does your continued public pursuit of this matter accomplish? Those that believe you did the right thing will continue to believe. Those that don't are not going to change their minds based on your testimony. What good will a polygraph do? It will not stand up to a legal challenge, and any publicity that comes from this will not help the sport. What would Ray Scott have said when he was the man in charge if his authority and judgment were questioned? That he hasn't done so publicly as far as I know, seems to support that he doesn't want BASS drug through the mud publicly. That makes sense to me.